| Shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser
brevirostrum), a long-lived, late-maturing fish, was listed as endangered
on the original U.S. Endangered Species List in 1967. In the Hudson River
- New York Bight watershed, sturgeon regularly occur in the Hudson River
from Manhattan upriver to the federal dam at Troy, New York. Shortnose
sturgeon inhabit the Connecticut River from Turners Falls, Massachusetts
to Long Island Sound, where it is typically found in discrete river reaches
in summer through winter, while moving upstream in the spring to spawn.
The sturgeon population crashed because of overfishing; it had high commercial
value as an important domestic source of caviar. Water pollution and fragmentation
of habitat, especially by and physical barriers such as dams, contributed
to shortnose sturgeon declines and continue to limit this fish's recovery.
The populations of shortnose sturgeon in both the Connecticut River and
the Hudson Estuary are thought to be stable or increasing.
Bog turtle (Clemmys muhlenbergii)
The northern population of bog turtle was listed as threatened in November
1997. This small turtle is sparsely distributed over a range extending
from New England south to northern Georgia, with a 250-mile gap between
the northern and southern populations; it occurs in the Highlands of New
Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation
are the major factors responsible for the decline of bog turtles throughout
much of their range. Collection of bog turtles primarily for the commercial
pet trade is also a major threat. In order to preserve bog turtle populations,
it is necessary to maintain their wetland habitat quantity and quality
in large reserves, and to reduce collecting and predation.
Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta
caretta), listed as threatened in July 1978, is the most abundant sea
turtle occurring in U.S. waters. In the spring and fall, loggerheads are
concentrated south of New Jersey in the continental shelf waters. Loggerheads
arrive in the New York Bight as early as May, and juveniles are found in
coastal bays and Long Island Sound. In coastal waters spider crabs are
their dominant food item, however they will feed on horseshoe, green, blue
and lady crabs. Major threats to loggerhead survival include collisions
with vessels and damage from their propellers; entanglement at sea with
ropes, nets, and cables; ingestion of marine debris, especially plastic
bags, plastic and styrofoam pieces, tar balls, and balloons; and being
drowned in commercial fishing nets. In addition, egg collecting, raccoon
predation on nests and eggs, and human activities directly threaten the
turtles themselves. Humans threaten loggerheads indirectly by altering
and destroying their habitat.
Green sea turtle (Chelonia
mydas) was listed in 1978 as threatened, except for the breeding populations
in Florida and on the Pacific coast of Mexico, which were listed as endangered.
Green sea turtles congregate near their food source -- plants living just
below the surface of the water, or submerged aquatic vegetation, and are
found in the waters of the Northeast from June through October. Marine
environmental threats seem particularly to affect this species. These include
oil and gas exploration, development and transportation; dredging; marina
and dock development; pollution; sea grass bed degradation; commercial
fishing activities; collisions with boats; power plant entrapment; offshore
artificial lighting; ingestion of marine debris; poaching; predation; and
diseases and parasites.
Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys
coriacea), considered endangered throughout its global range, was listed
as endangered in 1970. It is the world's largest living sea turtle. The
leatherback is a common species in the waters of the Northeast from May
through November. Adult and large juveniles are both found feeding in the
near coastal areas, but rarely in the bays or lagoons. They travel to feed
on various soft-bodied invertebrates such as Ctenophores and jellyfish.
Leatherbacks travel to the cold water areas off Cape Cod, Massachusetts
to feed on lion's mane (Cyanea capillata), a large jellyfish. Threats
to this species occur throughout the marine environment: collisions with
vessels and injuries from their propellers; entanglement at sea with ropes,
nets, and cables; ingestion of marine debris, especially plastic bags,
plastic and styrofoam pieces, tar balls, and balloons; and drowning when
turtles become trapped in commercial fishing gear.
Atlantic (Kemp's)
ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) was listed as endangered
throughout its range in 1970. The population crash that occurred between
1947 and the 1970s was likely the result of over harvesting of eggs and
turtle deaths in trawl fishing gear. Individuals, usually two- to five-year-old
juveniles, are commonly found in the eastern part of the New York Bight
from June to October feeding on spider and green crabs. A large proportion
of the surviving population of Atlantic ridleys uses the Bight annually
in its development cycle, and the region is of considerable importance
to the survival and recovery of this species. It appears that the Atlantic
ridley use this area as a one-time juvenile development/feeding area, not
returning as adults. Favorite areas include the Peconic Estuary, Gardiners
Bay, and Block Island Sound. |
